Collected by Edwin R. Bethune
For Mary C. Parler
Transcribed by Frances Majors
Sung by Mrs. Pearl Brewer
Pocahontas, Arkansas
August 1, 1958
Reel 261, Item 4
Hangman, Hangman (Child 9 5 )
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope,
And slack it for a while.
I see my mother, she has come;
She's rode for many a mile.
Oh, Mother, Mother, have you brought me gold
And come to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hang
All under the hangman's tree?
I've neither brought you gold,
Nor come to set you free,
Though I have come to see you hang
All under the hangman's tree.
Hangman, hangman, slcak your rope,
And slack it for a while.
I see my father, he has come;
He's rode for many a mile.
Oh, Father, Father, have you brought me gold
And come to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hang
All under the hangman's tree?
I've neither brought you gold,
Nor come to set you free,
Though I have come to see you hang
All under the hangman's tree.
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope,
And slack it for a while.
I see my sister, she has come;
She's rode for many a mile.
Oh, Sister, have you brought me gold
And come to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hang
All under the hangman's tree?
Hangman, Hangman (Cont'd)
Reel 261, Item 4 (Cont'd)
I've neither brought you gold,
Nor come to set you free,
Though I have come to see you hang
All under the hangman's tree.
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope,
And slack it for a while.
I see my sweetheart, she has come;
She's rode for many a mile.
Oh, Sweetheart, have you brought me gold
And come to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hang
All under the hangman's tree?
Oh, yes, I've brought you gold,
And come to set you free.
How could I stand to see you hang
All under the hangman's tree?